Dawn Strolls
by LilyRaeK
Summary: Hermione is having trouble sleeping after the Malfoy Manor incident so instead of sleep, her and Ron take a stroll as the sun rises.


**I'm using a list of '100 Ways To Say I Love You' as a prompt for a bunch of fanfictions. Some will be used together but if anyone wants to use the list or read what may be coming up, I'll put the list in my bio on my profile. Just a warning, they will all be from different fandoms!**

 **17\. "Watch your step,"**

DAWN STROLLS

Sleeping wasn't easy when you had just suffered what Hermione had. Bellatrix Lestrange's face still stained her closed eyelids and phantom pains shot up her arm jolting her awake for the third time that night. She sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and cast her gaze around the room. Her eyes fell on the spikes of red hair that accompanied the slowly stirring man next to her. Hermione then realised that as she had startled awake, her hand had fell out of the hold of Ron's which had, in turn, awoken him.

"Everything okay?" he asked groggily, giving her a lopsided smile.

"I need to clear my mind, fancy a walk?"

"Sure, nothing more important to do at…" he paused to squint at the bedside clock "…5am," he chuckled quietly and took her hand once more to help her out of bed.

Hermione smiled to herself as her hand warmed in his. Turning to the side, she slowly stretched her legs to dangle over the edge of the large bed that Fleur had settled her into the night before. While the bed was comfortable enough, like a warm hug from Hagrid, she couldn't help but miss her canopy bed in her dormitory at Hogwarts. The pillows were almost too soft and the blankets were just a tad too warm. As thankful as she was to Fleur for caring for her and to Bill for allowing her to rest in their home, she missed the familiarity of Hogwarts.

Ron silently handed her his 'R' jumper and smiled when she took it. Slipping it over her head, Hermione felt the instant protection from the chill that she had gotten when she had first removed the covers. It was a little big on her, reaching nearly her mid-thigh but to Hermione it didn't matter because she felt warm and safe which is more that she'd felt for the past few months.

Ron led her out of the bedroom and together, they silently padded down the hallway, past where Harry was snoring softly. Smiling to each other softly at the sound of Harry sleeping peacefully for once, they continued down the stairs and through the kitchen where Ron magically made them both a hot chocolate. He takes Hermione's hand once more, leading her out of the back door.

"Watch your step," he murmurs softly.

Leading her across the sand dunes, he finally settled where the two can see the ocean and sat down, tugging gently on Hermione's hand to encourage her to sit with him. Hermione handed him her steaming mug of chocolate and settled herself between his legs. She snuggled herself back into his chest and retrieved her hot chocolate from his waiting hands.

Hermione, quite obviously, tugged her sleeve down over her left hand to promptly hide the angry, red scar that contrasts her pale, creamy skin across her left forearm. She knew that it would fade with time and over the years, she would become less self-conscious of it but for now while it was fresh, she preferred to keep it hidden. Ron noticed what she was doing and she quickly looked away from his imploring gaze. Carefully setting his mug in the sand behind him, Ron took her arm in both his hands and drew back her (his) jumper to see the horrific word. He gently ran his fingers over it, drawing abstract patterns on her forearm. Hermione took her arm from him and pulled the sleeve back down, turning her gaze to look out to sea.

"Don't do that," Ron muttered.

Hermione hummed in response.

"Don't hide it from me, or from yourself as if it hasn't become part of your being already. Hermione, anything that is on you is beautiful and the fact that Bellatrix put it there makes it even more special. It's proof that you're stronger than anything she could throw at you,"

Ron wrapped both his arms around her waist and buried his face into her hair where he placed a soft kiss.

"You are more than just a word," he murmured over and over again.

He finally glanced up to see the tears streaming down her face. He turned so that she was side-on to him and bundled her up in his arms once more and this time, she curled into him as well. She still sniffed quietly into his shoulder as he rocked her back and forth.

Together they sat as the sun rose over the bay and sure, it wasn't perfect but it would be eventually and that was all they could hope for.


End file.
